English
Cargo turnover indicators of the Freeport of Riga in 5 months of this year reached 9.43 million tons, which is by 10.4% or 0.89 million tons more than in 2021 during the same period. The positive cargo dynamics has been maintained by the growth in the energy cargo segment, as well as the increase in cargo volume in the container cargo segment. In the 5 months of this year, almost 2 million tons of containerized cargo were handled in the port of Riga, which is 14.4% more than in the same period last year.
“Five-month cargo turnover indicators in the port of Riga remain positive and stable. Compared to April, May was more active in the context of vessel traffic and cargo flow, the beginning of the cruise season is also relevant. More cruise ships are calling the port of Riga, moreover, this flow will continue to grow in the summer months as well, providing significant support to the Latvian and Riga tourism industry after a two-year break. Stable demand for energy cargo, as well as the dynamically growing segment of containerized cargo, compensates for the decline in the cargo segments related to Russia and Belarus caused by the war in Ukraine and the related sanctions. We are still actively working on attracting new cargo and creating new, complex cargo routes (including ro-ro), also in the direction of Scandinavia, which is currently our priority, ”said Ansis Zeltins, the Freeport of Riga CEO.
In May, compared to April, there was an increase in cargo traffic and number of serviced vessels in the port of Riga - 257 ships were serviced in the port (which is 39 more than in April), including 10 cruise ships, bringing 5220 passengers to the port, more than half (58% ) of which were Germans, a large number of tourists also came from Great Britain (13%) and the United States (6%). 1.92 million tons of various cargo were handled in the port, which is 0.19 million tons or 11% more than in April, exceeding the amount of the last year’s May by one fifth (+ 20% or +0.32 million tons), moreover, it is more than was transshipped in May 2020.
Compared to April, the volumes of pellets (0.155 million tons) and timber general cargo shipments (0.3 million tons) increased in the port of Riga in May, thus the monthly indicator of forestry cargo together with wood chips and sawn timber exceeded the volume of half a million tons (0.52 million tons) again. In May, the volume of container cargo also increased by 0.46 million tons or + 9%, which was the second largest group of cargo, and in general, the volume of this cargo has remained stable over the last three months. Compared to May 2021, the volume of containerized cargo has increased by more than one third or 34%.
In total, in the five months of 2022, the largest amount of forestry cargo was handled in the port of Riga - a total of 2.45 million tons, representing 26% of the total volume of cargo transshipped in the port (a decrease of 4.3% compared to the previous year), followed by container cargo and coal - each of these cargo groups accounting for 21% of the total turnover. Agricultural products still account for a significant amount of cargo in the total cargo portfolio, reaching 10% or 0.95 million tons in the total cargo portfolio. Other cargo groups, including oil products, ores and metals, chemical cargo and others, accounted for 23% of the total cargo volume.
Information for media
- liene.ozola [at] rop.lv, +371 670 308 53
- Freeport of Riga Authority
- 12 Kalpaka blvd, Riga, Latvia, LV-1010
